Correlation of serum β2-microglobulin levels with prostate-specific antigen, Gleason score, clinical stage, tumor metastasis and therapy efficacy in prostate cancer.

Background And Aims: Despite previous reports implying a role of β2-microglobulin (β2M) in the development of prostate cancer (PCa), the correlation of serum β2M with the clinicopathological features, therapy efficacy and prognosis of patients with PCa have not been fully clarified. The present study aims to investigate the serum levels of β2M in patients with PCa and explore the potential use of β2M as a tumor marker for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of PCa.

Methods: Serum β2M levels in 120 patients with PCa, 50 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and 85 healthy age-matched controls were measured by enzyme immunoassay.

Effects of genetic polymorphisms of CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and MDR1 on cyclosporine pharmacokinetics after renal transplantation.

1. The calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporine is widely used to prevent allograft rejection after solid organ transplantation. It has a narrow therapeutic index and shows considerable interindividual differences in its pharmacokinetics.

Free graft two-stage urethroplasty for hypospadias repair.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of free graft transplantation two-stage urethroplasty for hypospadias repair.

Methods: Fifty-eight cases with different types of hypospadias including 10 subcoronal, 36 penile shaft, 9 scrotal, and 3 perineal were treated with free full-thickness skin graft or (and) buccal mucosal graft transplantation two-stage urethroplasty. Of 58 cases, 45 were new cases, 13 had history of previous failed surgeries.